The Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities of New York (CICU) recently named Ithaca College President Shirley M. Collado to its board of trustees.

President of CICU Mary Beth Labate told IC Current that she believes Collado will be an asset to the board because of her commitment to diversity and equity in higher education and that she looks forward to working with her.  

CICU is an organization that represents over 100 college campuses across New York state and works to advance the policy interests of those campuses. Some of its advocacy includes endorsing increased state funding for student aid and calling for education reform that is inclusive to private institutions. The group meets several times a year. The first meeting that Collado will attend will take place May 2.

Collado said in the news release that she will use this opportunity to voice the college’s interests.

“The CICU represents an impressive mix of schools in New York state for the purpose of influencing public policy on state and national levels,” Collado told IC Current. “I look forward to reflecting Ithaca College’s values and interests in these initiatives as we strive to navigate the best possible ways to serve our students and our communities in the face of ongoing challenges for higher education.”

Other Ithaca College presidents, including Collado’s predecessor, Tom Rochon, previously held positions on CICU’s board. It has 24 members that lead institutions that the CICU represents.